


stargazing

by deminux



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies)
Genre: Asexual Character, F/F, Fluff, Kissing, Nonbinary Character, Other, Post-Movie(s), agender dag, asexual cheedo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-07 02:39:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4246320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deminux/pseuds/deminux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dag convinces Cheedo to sneak out of the Citadel with xyr to look at the stars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> The Dag is agender & uses xe/xyr pronouns -- if you're unused to these, xe/xyr/xyrs are used in the same way as he/him/his or she/her/hers.
> 
> This is the first time I've ever written fic, and it happened while on the road visiting colleges. Clearly I have my future in mind.

"Let's sneak out," the Dag said suddenly, rolling over in their bed to stare at Cheedo.

Cheedo opened her eyes to meet xyr stare. "What if I had been sleeping and you just rudely woke me up?"

"You weren't sleeping," the Dag replied. "When you sleep you somehow hold onto me even more tightly. Plus you snore."

Embarrassed, Cheedo pulled her arm back from where she'd thrown it over the Dag. "I do not...I do not snore!"

"Nooo, nooo, come back!" the Dag said, reaching for Cheedo's hand. "Don't worry; the snoring's cute. You remind me of a, a, a, what was it you and Toast were talking about the other day? That flies and whistles?"

"A bat?"

"Yes, you're like a little whistling bat," the Dag said, satisfied with xyrself and the blush coloring Cheedo's face. "Now, will you sneak out with me, little bat?"

"Why?" Cheedo murmured. "Couldn't we just go outside without sneaking?"

"Not as fun!" the Dag declared, sitting upright. "We'll probably have to go out with an escort, and where's the adventure in that?"

"There's plenty of reasons we should let an escort take us outside," Cheedo pointed out. "War Boys who still don't listen to Furiosa. Ferals. Wastelanders. I don't know, pretty much everything?"

"Please?" the Dag pouted, reaching out and trailing xyr fingers along Cheedo's cheekbone. "Do you remember what it was like, that night we spent in the desert with the Vuvalini?"

Cheedo smiled. "It was beautiful."

"As beautiful as you," the Dag agreed, cradling Cheedo's face with both of xyr hands.

"Stop that, fine, fine, I'll go with you," Cheedo laughed, sitting up, pushing xyr away, and swinging out of their bed.

"Yes!" the Dag exclaimed, jumping to xyr feet. "Let's go. I have it all planned out."

"Of course you do," Cheedo muttered, taking the hand xe offered her and following xyr into the shadowy hallway.

"There's a lot of moonlight, so we gotta be careful about shadows," the Dag breathed. "It'll be fine, though, we'll take the back ways, and we can fake our way out of anything if we need to."

"I trust you," Cheedo said, squeezing the Dag's hand as she followed xyr down a staircase.

Several deserted halls later, the Dag suddenly pulled Cheedo behind an open door, putting a finger to her lips. Cheedo raised her eyebrows at xyr, but xe didn't speak, just shook xyr head and mouthed the word "wait."

After a moment Cheedo was able to make out footsteps coming towards then down the hallway. They both held their breath as Furiosa's purposeful stride carried her past them, waiting until her footsteps had faded until they dared to show their faces again.

"Well, that's her out out the way," the Dag said as they set off again.

"Do you really think Furiosa is ever actually out of the way?" Cheedo asked skeptically.

"I'm thinking optimistically," the Dag said. "Open minds open doors."

Cheedo rolled her eyes at the Dag's back, having grown used to xyr habit of spouting strange and often nonsensical quotations.

They stopped again at one of the doors closer to the bottom of the spire. The Dag let go of Cheedo's hand to pull a large crate away from the wall. "I put blankets here earlier," xe explained as xe pulled two thick quilts out from behind it. "Stole 'em from Nux and Capable's nest."

"They're not going to be happy," Cheedo observed, watching as the Dag pushed the crate back against the wall.

"Eh, no big deal," the Dag said, gathering the blankets into a bundle in xyr arms. "We can kiss and make up. Now, we're gonna have to shimmy down a rope here; it's not the most glamorous exit, but it's the best for sneaking."

Cheedo nodded. "I'll go first. That way you can drop the blankets down to me."

"I was just gonna throw them down there," the Dag confessed. "You're improving my plan already."

Xe held the door open as Cheedo reached out and tugged on the rope dangling just outside to make sure it was secure. She carefully slid down the rope while the Dag watched from above. They were only fifteen feet or so from the bottom of the spire, so she was down quickly, and the Dag followed close behind.

"We're in the clear now," the Dag whispered gleefully as xe dropped onto the sand beside Cheedo. "I'll take one of the blankets; we can wrap ourselves in them and I don't think anyone will care enough to question us. Probably."

Cheedo nodded and the two of them headed to the west, veering away from the Citadel and into the darkness. The light provided by the Citadel quickly faded; they were only about a quarter mile away when it became difficult to make out much more than the shape of the ground.

"You couldn't have brought a lamp?" Cheedo said, huffing as she picked her way along behind the Dag.

"I couldn't decide on a good place to leave a light," xe replied, turning back briefly to make sure xe could still see the light of the Citadel. "So here we are, navigating by the light of the moon. It’s romantic, Cheedo."

"Don't want to get lost out here, though," Cheedo said quietly.

"Yeah. I think we're far enough, now? Let's stop here." The Dag threw xyr blanket onto the ground, laying it out so they had somewhere to sit together. Cheedo sat down on top of it, lifting up her blanket so the Dag could join her.

Instead of sitting next to her, the Dag laid xyr head on Cheedo's lap, curling up just close enough that they both fit under the second blanket.

Above them, the sky seemed to stretch endlessly, with only the light flickering around the Citadel interrupting the darkness. The moon was somewhere between half and whole, and its light filled slight depressions in the sand with subtle shadows. Everything was quiet and still, something they weren't used to in the Citadel, where activity was constant night and day.

"Thanks for coming out here with me," the Dag sighed as xe took in the vast expanse around them. "I missed the sky being like this."

"I understand," Cheedo whispered. She was combing her fingers through the Dag's hair, gently undoing xyr messy braid. She picked out most of the debris the Dag had collected, intentionally or not, and made a small pile of the more purposeful decorations in case they meant something to the Dag. As she untangled xyr hair, Cheedo hummed quietly, a melody she'd picked up from the Vuvalini.

They sat together in silence, their breathing falling into a matched rhythm. Cheedo's humming was the only sound -- there were no animals that close to the Citadel, and the wind had chosen to fall silent.

“It makes me feel small, you know,” the Dag whispered into Cheedo’s lap. “The sky. The stars. The moon… It’s so much, Cheedo, we’re dealing with so much, and we’re so much smaller…”

“Hey,” Cheedo said gently, continuing to stroke the Dag’s hair, “you’re not that small, Dag, you’re one of the biggest people here. You’ve done so much for not just us -- all the people in the Citadel, Dag, they rely on your gardens. I don’t think you can see for yourself how big you are.”

“But the moon is just -- it’s overwhelming out here, it makes me look so small," the Dag rushed, sitting up suddenly to stare at the sky. "It makes me look so small."

Cheedo tugged on the strand of the Dag's hair that she still had in her hands, pulling xyr back towards Cheedo again. "Listen to me. I think it makes you look beautiful, and if being small is a part of being beautiful, then so be it. I like it; I like you."

The Dag turned around to face Cheedo, xyr knees touching hers. "Really?"

"Yes, silly," Cheedo said, dropping the Dag's hair and resting her hands on her knees. "Would I say it if I didn't mean it?"

"No," the Dag said, smiling slightly, "no, you wouldn't. You wouldn't." Xe crawled behind Cheedo, pulling her as close as xe could as xe hugged her from behind. "You would never."

Reaching up without looking to lightly swat the Dag's cheek, Cheedo said, "You're sweet, but be careful, you nearly crushed your pile of ornaments-- "

Ignoring her, the Dag grabbed the hand that Cheedo had used to scold xyr, scrambling back to the other side of Cheedo so xe could look her in the eyes. "I love you, Cheedo. I looooove you," xe singsonged.

"Stop it," Cheedo laughed, trying to snatch her hand back.

"Nope," the Dag said cheerfully. "I love you. I love you." Xe took Cheedo's hand and deliberately kissed each of her fingertips, repeating "I love you" after each one. "I loooooove you," xe said again, bringing xyr lips to the center of Cheedo's palm and glancing up at Cheedo with a smile.

Cheedo looked uncertain. "Dag, you know, I like this, but, I can't,  I can't -- "

The Dag kissed her palm again, more lightly. "It's okay, little bat, it's okay," xe soothed. "I know, I understand. I don't ever expect you to kiss me back -- as long as you're content, as long as you feel good -- I'll be happy, you make me so happy. You okay?"

"Yeah, I. I am," Cheedo said slowly.

"I'll always, always, stop if you tell me," the Dag reminded her. "I don't want you uncomfortable."

Cheedo shook her head. "I think... I want you to keep going, as long as you don't...don't need me to kiss you back."

"Never," the Dag promised, squeezing her hand lightly. Xe smiled. "I love you."

Cheedo laughed again,  bringing her free hand to her lips to cover her smile. "Thank you."

"Oh, don't think that hand's getting away," the Dag declared, setting down Cheedo's right hand in favor of her left. Xe pressed xyr lips dramatically to her thumb, moving on to kiss not only the tips of all of her fingers but also each of her knuckles.

The Dag uncrossed xyr legs and drew them up under xyrself until xe was kneeling in front of Cheedo. Xe took Cheedo's arm and turned it so her wrist was upwards, running xyr fingers along her arm. "Cheedo," xe said, "if the moon makes me look beautiful, the stars make you look splendid."

"Not -- not that word -- "

The Dag winced at xyr mistake. "I'm sorry. The stars make you look positively luminescent -- you glow, Cheedo, you shine as bright as any of the stars. I love you here," xe said, bringing xyr lips to Cheedo's wrist, "and here," xe continued up the underside of her forearm, "and here," xe bit gently in the crook of her elbow, "and here," xe kissed her bicep, "and here too," xe finished with a kiss on Cheedo's shoulder.

Cheedo shivered, and the Dag paused to look at her. "No, don't worry. I'm -- keep going."

The Dag smiled at her, touching her face lightly and kissing her cheek. "Okay."

From her cheek, the Dag moved to Cheedo's jaw and then to her throat, lingering there. "You are incredible," the Dag said, punctuating each of xyr words with another long kiss.

"You are," Cheedo murmured, her eyes fluttering shut. She tilted her chin higher, away from the Dag's lips, sighing as xyr teeth scraped her skin.

The Dag put a hand on her chest, giving her a light push and looking at her questioningly. When Cheedo nodded, xe gently helped her lay backwards, rearranging xyrself so xe straddled Cheedo on xyr knees. The Dag held xyrself up so Cheedo didn't have to bear xyr weight, and looked down at Cheedo.

"Hold my hand?" Cheedo asked, lacing her fingers with the Dag's. Xe folded xyrself until xyr forehead was pressed onto Cheedo's sternum, holding xyrself there and taking a single deep breath. Cheedo rested her free hand on the back of the Dag's head, massaging it lightly with her fingers and waiting. She could tell the Dag was steeling xyrself to say something.

Time seemed to stretch as endlessly as the sky above them as they sat there together, the Dag kneeling over Cheedo as if xe were praying, Cheedo holding tight to her hand. Cheedo turned her eyes to the stars above her, feeling goosebumps prickle her skin as the Dag's breath tickled her chest.

"You," the Dag said finally, "are like water. I think I've let myself become addicted to you; I think I need you here to say things to me...like what you just said. About being big." Xe lifted her head from Cheedo's chest, looking at her earnestly. "I try to be big, but I think...I think I can be small around you, and I think I need to, I. I love you everywhere, Cheedo. I love you everywhere."

Cheedo inhaled sharply as the Dag put xyr lips to her collarbone, kissing her lightly from her shoulder to the hollow in her throat. Xe began to trail downwards in the center of Cheedo's chest, making xyr kisses as slow and sweet as xe could. As the Dag reached the cloth of Cheedo's top, Cheedo squeezed xyr hand.

"That's enough, I think. For right now," she said softly.

"M'kay," the Dag said, immediately moving off of Cheedo and laying down on the blanket next to her. Xe threw an arm around her and pulled her closer, nestling xyr head under Cheedo's chin.

"I -- I love you everywhere, too," Cheedo said, pressing a short kiss to the top of the Dag's head and burying her nose in xyr hair. "Love you."

The Dag smiled to xyrself, squeezing Cheedo's hand again. Xe breathed out a content sigh, letting go of her hand to pull the blanket further up to cover them.

"I might not love you as much when Furiosa chews us out tomorrow for wandering into the desert in the middle of the night," Cheedo added with a giggle.

The Dag laughed with her.  "I think it was worth it, yeah?"

"Yeah."

 

 


End file.
